As HRC Viasna found out, on 27 July the working contract of the teacher of history of Babruisk school #8 Aliaksandr Chyhir expired. The ruling about the contract expiry in conformity with part 2 of the Working Code was issued by the chair of the education department L.Savostsina.

We should remind that Aliaksandr Chyhir headed one of the regional headquarters of the democratic candidate Aliaksandr Milinkevich during the presidential election. Mr Chyhir is a deputy of Babruisk City Deputy Soviet and has three children.

In a telephone talk with a RFE/RL correspondent Mr Chyhir said: I am convinced that my firing is related to my public and political activity and my being a deputy as well. Understanding the injustice of such treatment, workers of the education department of Babruisk Executive Committee look for a reason to justify their actions. For instance, they accuse me of absence from work on 25 March. It was a day-off. That’s why I went to Minsk after work. They also state that in spring 2005 I allegedly started a fight in Hrodna during the additional election to the Chamber of Representatives. I didn’t behave aggressively, but the police simply carried me out of a polling station.’